Shocked by hatred of kids & parents on TES website

[kris007]

I've spent a bit of time reading the TES website which contains threads and postings from teachers and I am stunned by the level of hatred and abuse directed towards students and their parents. I am horrified to think that some of these creatures may actually be teaching my kids!
It appears that the "state of war" we read about it British classrooms is by no means one way traffic - the teachers
seem to relish getting in on the all the drama.

Message withdrawn

I did try and enter a discussion about autism in the past- explaining the reasons for some of the behaviours etc and was accused of being a troll! PMSL The SEN section was different though, dedicated teachers talking about SEN, it was the chat/general discussion that was utterly vile.

southeastastra - there is some truth in that. I'm in secondary & what gets me is the lack of respect - for staff, equipment, books, each other.....
I can remember being really proud of my excercise books - some of the kids see nothing wrong in scribbling out whole pages or doodling all over the place.
(sorry to sound like Victor Meldrew )

Well - I don't hate my children (parents well....) and I love my TA... I am sometimes afraid she would do a better job than me

Xenia has a funny view of what is well-paid. MIL was on 30 grand which is a stonkingly huge salary to me.

I presume Xenia's teachers are in private school. Wouldn't their teachers get paid less than teachers in state schools!

I agree with Desi, the spelling and grammar are what I found most shocking.

I fear for the nation's future literacy rates.

The teachers of her children that is. (Oh dear - bad grammar - but you get what you pay for and I only work one day so I get paid peanuts.)

who cares about the spelling, they have to vent somewhere, don't suppose they really think 'ooh someone might judge my grammar'

I'm always puzzled by the complaint of British teachers that they have no "power". What power are they looking for? Do they want to hit kids? I've lived in Canada and Belgium and the teachers who taught my kids there had no greater powers than teachers in the U.K., yet they were able to teach without the problems that seem to drown classrooms here. My own theory is that the absurd rules that permeate British schools cause such resentment among kids and contribute to the mess. I could not believe it when my dd(16) told me she was required to take off her coat before lessons could begin - and the teachers would gladly spend 15 minutes of lesson time waiting for coats to be removed. Likewise, issues such as uniform, jewelry, make up, bathroom visits and the like became huge issues of contention at the school. At her schools in Canada and Belgium these type of issues are deemed irrelevant to education and are ignored. My dd, so happy and carefree in her other schools, is now full of resentment and anger at being treated like an 8 year old when just a few months shy of her 17th birthday.

That's interesting kris007. I would add in homework as another pointless battle.

Kris, I think youll find its not 'power' that teachers complain about but a lack of respect. To have to spend so much of your working day trying to establish calm and a good learning environment before you can begin to actually teach must be quite disheartening/exhausting.

These rules that your daughter has problems with, are just that rules, presumably there for a reason. Perhaps if more children followed them without question because they are the rules then those 15 minutes could be spent teaching as opposed to trying to get pupils do as is expected and as they are asked??

Orchide - what reason are those rules there for? As best I can see only to control and humiliate. How do schools in most other western countries manage just fine without them. My dd has found a sixth form college to attend next year which treats their students like a university, and she can't wait. Before leaving her current school she has an agenda - to visit each teacher who she feels has degraded her over this past year and tell them exactly what she thinks - and she will.

Orchide - what reason are those rules there for? As best I can see only to control and humiliate. How do schools in most other western countries manage just fine without them. My dd has found a sixth form college to attend next year which treats their students like a university, and she can't wait. Before leaving her current school she has an agenda - to visit each teacher who she feels has degraded her over this past year and tell them exactly what she thinks - and she will.

Kris, obvioulsy i dont know the school nor the exact rules but am assuming there will be a reason. School staff are busy people and they dont tend to waste time creating rules for no particular reason.

I think if you truly believe your DD is being educated in a place which sets out to control and humiliate (?!) then you have to decide if the this is a place you want her to spend another 6 months.

Private schools (the good ones) have traditionally taken the state school rates and then added a bit on actually or they did in the 19 years I was married to a teacher in the private system so no my children's teachers ingeneral are better paid than in the state system but still in general it is easier to become a teacher than say a surgeon so obviously you get better more competition to become a surgeon, the pay is higher and the ability is higher.

Anyone ever looked at what (only SOME) children put out on the internet about their teachers, with total impunity?

Facebook can be a classic example.

Also how many teachers posted like this (probably to let off steam) compared to the thousands out there - if teachers really hated kids how could they ever manage to go into the classroom everyday - it would be completely soul destroying.

What cornsilk said 'they do care greatly about the children they teach'

Teaching is the best job in the world (IMO) but all people moan about bits of their jobs.

what janeite says...

Gosh is this still going?

Xenia - I have a good degree, several post-grad qualifications and am seen as a very good teacher, so I feel cross that your thoughtless comment about pay appears to tar us all with the same brush. I'm not in it for the money, surprisingly, although I can't grumble about how much I'm paid, I certainly feel that I earn every penny of it.

Kris007, I am shocked that you appear to be condoning the idea of your daughter "telling them exactly what she thinks" yet seem horrified that teachers may occasionally want to vent in a forum intended for the use of teachers; this is probably what stops teachers from sometimes "Telling them what they think" - because remember, teachers have to be (according to some people) emotionless androids with impecable manners, impecable spelling (no typos etc because you're supposed to be PERFECT all day every day) so can't ever "tell them".

I'm ranting now so will stop after saying this one more thing -

I LOVE our TAs - the school couldn't operate without them.

I bet your dd's teachers will just curl up & implode, actually, Kris007. Having a chippy 14 year old give 'em what-for...wow, that'll be a whole new experience for them!

I think impeccable spelling is important....

I'm sure most teachers are dedicated and give their all to their job. I don't like dd's teacher much though (in a minority there, the other parents fawn and supplicate) - she has a very large pole up her arse. The feelings appear to be mutual

If people's main priorities are petty rules and how to thwart them rather than ensuring everyone gets a good education, then that is bad news.

And I know people who have taught in Canada on exchanges. It ain't all sweetness, light and perfection in their schools by any stretch of the imagination.

I can honestly say that I do not hate any of my pupils and I haven't had any bad run-ins with parents. I only have a couple of pupils whose behaviour I dislike.

Even if I think of the most difficult pupils I have had in the past, I cannot say that I ever hated them personally, although I hated their behaviour. They had a pretty bad upbringing, so there by the Grace of God go I.

I had a (very quick) look at the TES forums but didn't see anything terribly bad. It is uncannily like Mumsnet ("should I do this...?)

I've frequented the TES site for years; mainly the Primary section, which is excellent. Agree that the spelling on other TES boards winds me up no end!

I am a parent and a teacher and love being both.I don't want to argue but having taught for over 20 years I have seen a huge change in the way that parents view schools and teachers.
We have the following posted on our staff noticeboard to help us keep a sense of humour when things seem to get us down.
(Not of course invented by me!)

"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your
school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff
member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

• To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
• To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
• To complain about what we do - Press 3
• To swear at staff members - Press 4
• To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
• If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
• If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
• To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8
• To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
• To complain about school lunches - Press 0
• If you realise this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behaviour, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!

Now I am not saying that all parents are like this(I certainly am not)but people need to realise that not all teachers are awful either.